Folding machine



' L. J. BAZZON! FOLDING MACHINE Fil ed Aug. 4, 1919 Patented @et. 39, 1923..

warren stares LEWIS J". BAZZONI, F SWAMPSCOTT, 'MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO UNITED SHOE MACHINERY CORPORATION, OF PATERSON, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

FOLDING MACHINE.

Application filed August 4, 1919.

To (ZZZ whom it may concern! Be it known that 1, Lewis J. BAZZONI,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Swampscott, in the county of Essex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain Improvements in Folding Machines, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like reference characters on the drawings indicating like parts in the several figures.

This invention relates to folding machines and is herein set forth as embodied in a machine forfolding the margin of a piece of upper material such as is used in the manufacture of boots and shoes.

In the manufacture of boots and shoes it is customary to skive, cement and fold certain margins of Vamps, tips, quarters, etc., if they are made of leather, and to cement and fold them if they are made of fabric, the purpose in either case being to improve the appearance of an edge which will be exposed in the finished shoe. Machines for performing the folding operation commonly comprise a reciprocating or otherwise movable folder, the function of which is to form the fold by turning the margin part way over, anda hammer or presser which oper- 39 ates subsequently to press the turned over margin down upon the body of the'work to complete the folding operation. Movable folders, as hitherto provided, have necessitated more or less complicated operating mechanism and careful timing; and one ob ject of the present invention is to simplify the construction and operation of the folder.

According. to one feature of the invention the folder comprises a stationary support for the work and an endless member, such as a belt, which operates rontinuously on the margin of the work to form the fold. In the illustrative machine the folder is a small, round belt running around a series of pulleys and driven continuously from a pullev on the drivingshaft. The operative run of the belt extends up through the work support at a considerable inclination to the surface thereof andis so located with re spect to a. creaser that the margin of the work, as it is fed to and past the belt, is turned over the edge of the creaser about one hundred and twenty degrees to form the fold. Such afolder is simple and effective and requires'no timing. There is practically Serial No. 315,181.

no'wear except upon the belt, and this may be readily replaced at any time.

Other features of the invention relate to improved mechanism for feeding the work intermittently and to novel means for varying the extent of the intermittent feed movements.

These and other features of the invention, including certain details of construction and combinations of parts, will be described as embodied in an illustrative machine and pointed out in the appended claims.

vReferring now to the accompanying drawlugs,--

Fig. 1 is an elevation of a machine in which the present invention is embodied;

Fig. 2 is a perspective showing more particularly the combined feeding and folding member and means for operating it;

Fig. 3 is a vertical section through a portion of the machine viewed from the forward end;

Fig. is a fragmentary perspective showmg a piece of work in process of being operated upon, and

Fig. 5 is a plan showing the mounting of the truck which co-operates with the feed member. Mounted in bearings in an overhangmg arm of the frame of the machine is a driving shaft 7 which carries at its forward end a cam 8 provided with a cam track 9 from which the combined feed member and presser 11 in the form of a hammer is driven. The presser is formed at the end of a bent rod the horizontal stem of which extends loosely through a boss 13, the rear end of the'rod being passed through a block 15 having formed thereon a guide pin 17 which extends into an arouate slot in a plate 19. Consequently if the boss 13 oscillated the presser 11 will be oscillated. The plate 19 is fast tothe lower end of a slide 21 which is vertically slida-ble in stationary guideways and has a. roll 25 running in the cam track 9, this construction resulting in the raising and lowering of the slide when the shaft 7 is rotated by means of a belt, not shown, which runs around the pulley 26. Oscillation of the member 11, as has been explained. is caused by oscillation of the boss 13. This boss is connected to the lower end of a short rod 27 which passes through a plate said plate being horizontally adjustable at the lower endof the slide 21 and being supported by the plate 19. The rod 27 is of reduced diameter where it passes through the plate, being rotatable but not otherwise movable with respect to said plate. This rod is connected by a universal joint 31 with a second rod 33 which is vertically slidable in asocketed member 35. The socketed member is in turn connected by a'second universal joint 37 with a short upright shaft 3 9 which is rotatably mounted in a boss on the slide 21. A. crank 41, fast to the shaft 39, is connected by a pin13 with one end of a link 15, the other endfot which is integral with an arm 17. The arm 4. 7 is pivoted at 49 to the frame ofthe machine and carries a roll 51 which runs in the cam track 9. Rotation of the shaft 7 raises and lowers the slide 21 and with it the combined feed member and presser 11 because of the engagement of the roll 25 with the cam track 9. At the same time the member 11 is oscillated by reason of the engagement of the roll 51 with the cam track. The construction and arrange ment of the parts is such that a tour-motion feed is imparted to the member 11 so that it comes down upon the work, then-moves forward to feed it, then rises, and finally returns into a position to repeat this cycle. In order to hold the plate 29 in adjusted position and to permit adjustment of it so as to vary the extent of the intermittent feed movements, a link is pivoted at one end to the slide and at the Jot-her end to a bell-crank lever 55, said lever in turn being pivoted to the vframe of the machine at 57. A trea dle rod 59 pivoted to the end of the horizontal arm of the bell-crank'lever provides means for varying the position of the slide 29. It will be evident that the nearer the boss 13 is caused to approach the block 15, the greater will be the extent of the in termittent feed movements. In order to aid the operator in adjusting the slide 29 to varythe feed, a pointer 60 formed on the boss 13 co-operateswith a scale 62 marked upon. the table 61. j v

The teed movement of the combined feed member and presser 11 takes place in a curved path, the. plane of which is substantially parallel to that of the work supporting table 61; and in order to facilitate feed ing the work, there is formed in the table an opening 63, and in communication with the opening is a hollow boss 65 to receive a support 67 in the forum of a plunger held up by a spring 69 as far as permitted by a nut and washer 7 0, 72 the top of the plunger forming a yielding floor or bottom for the opening or depression 63. 'Upon this floor is mounted an under feed member 71 in the form of a diminutive tlLlClQWlllCll is capable of being moved about on small steel balls 73. A spring 75, located in a socket in the table and fast at one end to an thin plate which projects slightly above the surface of the table 61 and with said table forms part of the work support. The purpose of this construction is to permit the "upper part of the truck is inthe form of a truck to move-in various directions in unison with the feed member 11. j l

The thin plate which forms the top of the truck is recessed at '81; and up through the table and through this recess extends. an'

endless fiexible'folder in the'f'orm of a round belt 83 which passes around pulleys 8 5, 87,

89, 91, 93, 95 and 97, the pulley-93 being fast to the shaft 7 and serving to drive the belt continuously in the direction indicated by the arrows. Fast to. the frame of the machine is a creaser 99 over which the margin of the work is bent by the belt 83'; and mounted on the creaser is a gage 101for controlling the width of the fold, said gage heingadjustably fastened to the creaser by a screw 103 which passes through a'slot in the gage and is threaded into the cre-aser. This gage contacts with'the turned-up edge of the work and, by its position above the work support, determines the extent of the margin to be turned over and consequently the width of the finished fold. In order to provide a compactarrangement of the instrumentalities which engage the work, the member 101 has a groove through which the belt 83 runs. The compactness of the present arrangement should be particularly noted.

port beneath the creaser, turns up the forward portion of the margin until it contacts with the operative face-of the gage 101 and pushes the work forward; After th work is thus started, it will be fed automatically through the machine, the belt 83 turning th margin of the. Work over the edge of the 'creaser and the, member 11 operating to feed the work and to complete and press the fold.

Althoughthe invention has been set forth as embodied in a machine in which a single member performs both the feeding and fold pressing operations, it should be understood that the invention is notlimited in the scope its application, to the particular machine which has been shown and described.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

*1. A folding machine, having, in combination, a stationary support for the work, an endless folder having its-operative run inclined to the surface of the support, and means for pressing the fold. Y

2. A folding machine, having, in combination, a stationary support for the work, an endless folder having its operative run inclined-to the surface of the support, and means for feeding the work and pressing-the fold.

3. A folding machine, having, in combination, a support for the work, cmoving belt arranged toengage the work to form the fold, a hammer and means for operating th hammer to press the fold.

4. A folding machine, having, in combination, a stationary support for the work, a moving belt arranged to engage the work to form the fold, and means for feeding th work and pressing the fold.

V 5. A folding machine, having, in combination,'a stationary support for the Work, means including a belt the operative run of which is at an angle to the support for forming the f0ld,'and means for pressing the fold.

6. A folding machine, having, in combination, a stationary support for the work, means including a belt the operative run of which is at an angle to the support for forming the fold and the plane of the path of which is at right angles to the direction of feed, and means for feeding the work and pressing the fold.

7. A folding machine, having, in combination, a stationary support for the work, a

continuously operated belt running up through the support for forming the fold, a presser, and means for moving the presser toward the support to press the fold.

8. A folding machine, having, in combination. a stationary support for the work, a continuously operated belt running up through the support for forming the fold, and means for feeding the work and pressing the fold, said last-named means including a presser located close to the operative run of the belt and having a work-engaging face of small area whereby the margin of a piece of work having a sharply curved edge may be folded.

9. A folding machine, having, in combina tion, a stationary support for the work, an endless folder, means for operating the folder, a combined feed member and presser for feeding the work and pressing the fold, and means for imparting a four-motion movement to the combined member.

19. A folding machine, having, in combination, a stationary support for the work, means including a belt the operative run of which is at an angle to the support for forming the fold, a combined feed member and presse-r for feeding the work and pressing the fold, and means for imparting afourmotion movement to the combined member.

11. A folding machine, having, in combination, a support for the work, an endless folder, means for operating th folder, means for controlling the width of the fold, and means for feeding the work and pressing the fold. t

12. Afolding machine, having, in combination, a support for the work, an endless folder extending through the support, means for causing the folder to travel continuously in a closed path, means for controlling the width of the fold, and means-for feeding the work and pressing'the fold.

13. A folding machine, having, in combination, a support for the work, an endless folder extending through the support at an inclination to the surface thereof, means for causing the folder to travel continuously in a closed path means for controlling the width of the fold, and means for feeding the work and pressing the fold.

14. A folding machine, having, in combination, a stationary support for the Work, means for feeding the work over the support, and a belt folder against one sid of one run ofwhich the margin of the work is directed. i

15. A folding'machine, having, in combination, a supnort-forthe work, a contin uously running belt against one run of which the margin of the work is directed, and means for feeding the work in a direction substantially perpendicular to the plane of the path of the belt.

16. A folding machine, having, in combination, a support for the work, a creaser for determining the line of the fold, a flexible folder for bending the, margin about the creaser to form the fold. and means for feeding the work and pressing the fold.

17. A folding machine, having, in combination, a support for the work, a creaser for determining the line of the fold, a flexible folder for bending the margin about the creaser to form the fold, and a single memher for feeding the work and pressing the fold.

18. A folding machine, having, in combination, a support for the work, a creaser, means for feeding the work over the support and beneath the creaser, an endless folder for bending the margin of the work over the creaser, and means for operating the folder. 7

19. A folding machine, having, in combination, a support for the work, a creaser, means for feeding the work over the support and beneath the creaser, an endless folder for bending the margin of the work over the creaser, means for operating the folder, and

means for controlling the Width 'of'the fold.

2Q. A folding machine, having, in combination, a support for the Work, a creaser to determine the line of the fold, a controller for determining the Width of the fold, a belt for bending the margin of thew'vork over thecrea'ser, and means for feed ing the Work and pressing the fold.

21; A folding machine, having, in combination, a work support, an overhanging arm, means for feeding the Work and pressing the fold, a creaser and a width gage, said means, creaser and gage being mounted on said arm, and means for turning the margin of the Work aboutthe creaser to form thefoldQ t i 22. A folding machine, having, in combination, a support for the'work, a folder, and means forfeeding the Work to the folder, said last namedmean-s including an intermittently operated feed member for engaging one side of the Work, and a second member forengaging the other side of the Work, thesecond member being normally held yieldingly in itsrearmost position and being free to move bodily with the first feed member in various directions. p

23. A folding machine, having, in combin-ation, a support for the Work, a. folder, and means for feedingthe Work to the folder, said last-named means including an intermittently operated feed vmember for engaging one side of the Work, meansfor operating said member to cause it'to describe a curved path'the plane-of Which issub stantially parallel tov the surface of the support, and an idle'feed member normally held in its rearmost position and capable of bodily movement to follow the feed move ments of the first-named member.-

24. A folding machine, having, 'incomhin-ation a folder,'-means' for feeding the Work and pressing the foldya Work sup therein to follow the movements of the feedinthe form of a belt, means for operating 7 the'belt, means for controlling-theWidth of the fold, and means for feeding the 'work and pressing the fold. t

26; A'ffolding machine, having, in combination a support for the Work, a folderin the form of a belt one run of'which extends through the support at an inclination to the surface thereof, mean'sfo'r operating the belt, means for controlling the-Widthof',

the fold, and means for feeding the ork and pressing the fold. g I .In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

- LE I'sJ. BAZZONI, 1 

